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The Crist, Clinton and Meek camps had even set a date for an endorsement rally. | AP Photos
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“It was a completely done deal,” one source said.

The Crist, Meek and Clinton camps even set a date for an endorsement rally: the following Tuesday, Oct. 26. Meek was to give Crist his blessing and explain to his disappointed supporters — many of whom deeply distrust the governor, who was elected as a Republican — that their votes could save the Senate for the Democrats and save America from the rise of Rubio, who is viewed both as a hard-line conservative and a potential national figure.

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The White House, Democrats said, had knowledge of the plans and viewed them as a path to capturing the Senate seat, but did not initiate the talks.

Last weekend, however, Meek changed his mind.

“Not being seen as a quitter was more important than stopping someone who was so opposed to what you and your party had stood for,” said one Democrat who had been hoping to close the deal.

In an appearance on CNN Thursday night, Meek specifically denied that any joint rally had been planned. Going even farther than his boss, Meek campaign manager Abe Dyk vehemently denied the entire sequence of events described by Clinton's aide and other Democrats.

"Kendrick Meek was not ever dropping out of this race and will not ever drop out of this race," Dyk said. "He’s going to stand up for the middle class as opposed to his two lifelong Republican opponents who always stand with the special interests."

White House officials did not respond immediately to questions about the plans. But in an appearance on Fox News, Crist said he had discussions with "several people" at the White House subsequent to the implosion of the Clinton-Meek scheme. "There were several people that I spoke with," Crist said, declining to give specifics.

“Our only focus is on uniting common-sense Democrats, independents and Republicans behind Charlie Crist because he’s the only candidate who can defeat tea party extremist Marco Rubio,” Crist spokesman Danny Kanner said.

Rubio and his allies jumped on the news.

“Charlie Crist truly will say and do anything to get elected and hold on to power. Secret deals to trade away principles for power is already the problem in Washington, it’s not the solution,” said a top Rubio aide, Todd Harris.

Harris noted that no recent public polling has shown Crist beating Rubio in a two-man race, but also released internal polling data aimed at keeping Meek’s hope alive: "As of yesterday, in our internal tracking showed Crist and Meek in a statistical dead heat. Among those who have already voted, our internal polling actually shows Meek beating Crist 28% to 24%."

But with Meek widely viewed as dead in the water, the real danger to Democrats in Florida may be that the news of Clinton’s gambit will discourage black voters from participating in the election at all, a danger to gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink, locked in a tight race with health care executive Rick Scott.

And Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele poked directly at that Democratic vulnerability in a statement Thursday evening.

“President Clinton’s actions to have Kendrick Meek withdraw from the campaign sends a chilling signal to all voters, but especially African Americans,” Steele. “One can only imagine the response if Republican leadership tried to force out of the race – in the 11th hour – a qualified black candidate like Kendrick Meek.”

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Jacksonville was the location of the conversation between Bill Clinton and Kendrick Meek.

Fellow Floridians, this is a sign of where Crist really stands...he is nothing but a Democrat and will support Obama's Socialist agenda. If you thought he was a centrist, this is evidence contrary to the fact. Is it any wonder why he will not admit who he would back in the Senate? This is your answer. Back a true American patriot who is also a Hispanic.

Fellow Floridians, this is a sign of where Crist really stands...he is nothing but a Democrat and will support Obama's Socialist agenda. If you thought he was a centrist, this is evidence contrary to the fact. Is it any wonder why he will not admit who he would back in the Senate? This is your answer. Back a true American patriot who is also a Hispanic.

Try as hard as you can, Dems, chicanery isn't going to stop Rubio or the tea party tsunami. Had Meek dropped out, it is doubtful Crist would have even gotten a third his support. I know if my man dropped out under circumstances like this, I would simply not vote.

The Dems have nothing to offer. Nothing. They are Keynsians to the core and Keynes has been proven wrong.

And one more thing, Politico: what happened to that bogus Hays poll you prominently displayed this morning and most of the day? It's gone now, not a trace to be seen. As well it should be, it's obvious partisianship being exposed across the internet. Please explain, Politico: What happened to that poll?

So ol' Slick Willie of 'blue dress shame' promised a position to Meeks in his anticipated wife's bid in 2012?

You betcha!

But guess what Meeks you are being played...to them you are nothing more than a pawn to be used to meet their own ends!

Florida...you know what you have to do...and what you are fighting...the dirty, filfthy politics of the Democratzi with ol' Slick Willie of "blue dress shame" being brought back out from under the bus to do the dirty work of the messiah!

Pathetic!

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IMPEACHMENT OR THE 'ORIGINAL' KENYAN BIRTH CERTIFICATE...IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME...AND THE VOTER REVOLUTION OF 2010 " IS" THAT TIME...AMERICA...GUARANTEED!

I was close to admire Mr. Meek, but he is smart, he knows he can't win, but independents would consider this so outrageous than they would go to Rubio in a higher purcentage..or I could be wrong, it could be that Meek is a man of principles .

So the nations first black president throws a hail mary by asking the only black candidate in the race to drop out. LOL What's funny is, I'm not sure Crist would win even if Meek's dropped out. He'd have to get in the neighborhood of something like 75% of Meek's voters. Not going to happen.